So often we hear 'sad' tales from the mouths of solicitors and barristers with regard to those many people 'who are simply not bright enough to know the difference between right and wrong.'
The numbers of pupils I taught, from 11 - 18 - over decades in mainstream schools, probably numbered thousands.
Of these - a microscopic percentage may not have understood this fundamental concept.
Whether they did - or did not - was, however, utterly unimportant, as I never once met a pupil who had failed to understand what was expected of him or her!
Excuses for bad or appalling behaviour must not be tolerated.
There are, of course, a number of people who do have very severe mental difficulties and issues. We must, indeed, treat these people with greater compassion and understanding in our courts but we must never be conned into failing to make a measured distinction.
